README

WHAT IS WASP LISP?
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Wasp Lisp is a member of the Lisp-1 family, borrowing principles from R5RS Scheme, Python and Erlang. It is a pragmatic language, designed to provide developers with tools to rapidly build network applications that require sophisticated logic and quick turnarounds between prototype and production.
Wasp Lisp provides the following features inherited from Mosquito Lisp:
- Compact Implementation
- Cooperative Lightweight Threads
- Unique, efficient I/O model
Beyond the functionality provided by Mosquito Lisp, Wasp Lisp provides the ability to extend Wasp Lisp with modules written in ANSI C and refinement of many of Mosquito's features based on feedback by the Lisp community.
WHAT IS THIS PACKAGE?
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This Wasp Lisp source code package consists of the source code for four key components of the Wasp Lisp environment:
- WaspDoc, the Wasp documentation tool which provides a way to view and update
documentation associated with Wasp Lisp.
- WaspVM, a compact interpreter written in ANSI C for programs written in
Wasp Lisp.
- WaspC, the compiler for Wasp Lisp programs, written in Wasp Lisp itself.
- Wasp, the Wasp interactive environment which provides interactive
programming and troubleshooting for Wasp Lisp programmers.
The particular version of Wasp Lisp containing this file is called "Wasp Rewind".
WHO IS THE WASP TEAM?
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Until the 1.0 release of Wasp Lisp, the Wasp Team consists solely of the original designer of WaspVM and MOSVM, Scott W. Dunlop <swdunlop@gmail.com>. After the ball gets rolling, the Wasp Team will expand to include members of the Wasp community who have shown the interest and insight to shepherd the evolution of Wasp Lisp.
THANKS
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Thank you, foremost, to Wes Brown for his funding of the Mosquito project. I would never have had the time for all this without it. Also, my eternal appreciation to the GNU project, as their toolchain has so thoroughly spoiled me that I refuse to deal with any other.
MOSREF relies on the cryptographic work of a lot of researchers beyond myself; without their efforts, I would have wasted a tremendous amount of time reinventing the wheel: D. J. Bernstein for his analysis of the 25519 Elliptic, and Matthijs van Duin, for translating D. J. Bernstein's work into ANSI C for use by mere mortals like myself.
Also, any public notice of Wasp Lisp is largely due to Bill Clementson, whose continued interest and occasional notice has kept the project in the public eye for years, now.
Years after development stopped on WaspVM and I moved on to other projects, Chris Double (@doublec) has kept coming up with neat fixes and ports, such as an Android stub.